On 26th of May 1897 the novel “Dracula” by Irish author Bram Stoker was published by Archibald Constable and Company in London.
Jonathan Harker, a newly qualified English solicitor, visits Count Dracula at his castle in the Carpathian Mountains to help the Count purchase a house near London. Ignoring the Count’s warning, Harker wanders the castle at night and encounters three vampire women; Dracula rescues Harker, and gives the women a small child bound inside a bag. Harker awakens in bed; soon after, Dracula leaves the castle, abandoning him to the women. Harker escapes and ends up delirious in a Budapest hospital. Dracula takes a ship called the Demeter for England with boxes of earth from his castle. The captain’s log narrates the crew’s disappearance until he alone remains, bound to the helm to maintain course. An animal resembling a large dog is seen leaping ashore when the ship runs aground at Whitby.
When it was first published it cost 6 shillings, and was bound in yellow cloth and titled in red letters. Since then the book has been republished many times and languages. The story, characters, and versions of them have been made into numerous films, TV shows, and novels.
Dublin born Bram Stoker knew the places where the story is located and prior to its writing he had several years researching Central and East European folklore and mythological stories of vampires.
He died on 20 April 1912 due to locomotor ataxia and was cremated in north London.